


Christmas Without You

by JehBeeEh



Series: Ahead by a Century [24]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Christmas Fluff, M/M, Soft Boys, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:53:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21895447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JehBeeEh/pseuds/JehBeeEh
Summary: Just before Christmas, Tony needs to go out of town, much to Steve's dismay.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Ahead by a Century [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1514069
Comments: 17
Kudos: 166





	Christmas Without You

Less than a week before Christmas eve. How quickly time had passed. They lounged on the couch in the penthouse, watching a Christmas movie, Steve’s head on Tony's chest with his body cradled between long legs, while the brunette frowned at his tablet, muttering unintelligible things. Every now and then a hand would pass through Steve's hair, or rub up and down his side. But mostly, he tapped furiously at the tablet.

Steve tipped his head up, looking at Tony upside down from his position, getting his attention at the perfect moment.

“You sit on a throne of lies,” Steve loudly whispered, perfectly matching the movie’s overgrown elf. He grinned when the brunette let out a laugh, pleased that he'd managed to get rid of the frown, for now.

“Did you really just quote _Elf_ at me?” Tony was still laughing as he bent down to meet Steve's lips.

“It's the best! How could I not?” Steve paused the movie and sat up, moving Tony's legs over his, massaging them as he spoke. “Everything okay? You seem really tense.”

“Honestly, no. Something seems way, way off with these schematics and I cannot figure it out. It's just not adding up, I know we sent the right ones in for production, but… this does not look right at all.”

“If you need to go work, it's fine, I can watch the movie alone.”

“No, I’ve got JARVIS trying to figure out what’s different from this version already, I was just hoping I’d see it myself. Think I've just been looking at it too long. I didn’t mean to be so distracted, I’m sorry.” Tony rested his chin on Steve's shoulder, the blond kissing his forehead. How could he resist when his adorable boyfriend was so close?

He draped an arm over Tony's shoulder, who'd tucked his legs under himself, and started the movie again. They snuggled together, randomly quoting the movie to each other along the way. Steve started to doze off near the end, when JARVIS asked Tony to verify the information he'd sent to his tablet.

“Fucking hell!” Tony exclaimed, as he went through the data in front of him, sitting up on the couch, the earlier feeling of calm and laziness completely gone again. “Shit, shit, SHIT!” He had picked up his phone and was still cursing under his breath as Steve was trying to understand what happened. “Hey Pepper! Yeah, I know it's late, sorry. The schematics we got earlier? They're wrong. Someone messed with what we sent originally; these cannot go into production.”

Tony was explaining what JARVIS had found, Steve still trying to catch up on the explanation, but too groggy to fully comprehend.

“I know, it doesn’t seem like much, but I swear this will be as bad as those Samsung exploding batteries from a few years ago. These cannot go into production. Can we push the launch… fuck, yeah I understand. Ok, I’ll be in the office as early… what?! No! Pepper, I can't, come on. Shit!”

Steve got up and went to the kitchen to grab a glass of water while Tony finished his conversation.

“Okay, I’ll call Happy in a bit. I swear heads will roll once I figure out who screwed with these after I sent them in. Bye Pepper.” Tony sighed and put his head in his hands. When he looked up again, he seemed truly disappointed and upset. He got up and made his way to where Steve was leaning on the kitchen island, forearms flat on the polished surface, mentally bracing for what was to come. He propped himself next to Steve, looking in the opposite direction, letting himself flop against Steve's shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Steve.”

“What's wrong, babe?” Steve nuzzled into Tony's hair, placing a kiss on his head.

“I have to go fix this. I need to go out of town for a few days. I’m sorry. I know we had plans to go see the tree at Rockefeller, and that Christmas market you found. Pepper can't go, and we can't delay production. Fuck this sucks!”

“It does suck, but it's okay. I understand.” Steve replied as convincingly as he could. He shifted to face Tony, his hip against the cold countertop, wrapping both his arms around the brunette. “When do you leave?”

“Tonight. Faster I leave, faster we fix this, faster I'm back home with you.” The disappointment and sadness weren’t even hidden in Tony's voice. He took in a deep breath, relishing the strong arms holding him, steadying him. “I promise you, I will be back for Christmas, okay? That is not even a question.”

“Is this your way to try and have a Christmas by the beach?” Steve tried to sound funny, but he was fairly sure it hadn’t worked.

“God no. I really… I wish I didn’t need to go. I wanna stay here with you, even if it is cold and snowy. Means we can snuggle. I like snuggling with you.”

Steve nodded, a barely there motion. He wasn’t even sure why he himself was so sad. It wasn't like Christmas was tomorrow. And why was it even a big deal? It was just a holiday. They’d spent almost the whole month together, what was that one day more really?

“Sweetie, I mean it. I’ll be back on time.” Tony's right hand was on Steve's cheek, quickly followed by his left, but the blonde's gaze stayed low, avoiding the brown orbs that were fixed on him.

“It's just a holiday, don't worry about it. This is important, this needs to get fixed, take all the time you need to.”

“Steve, look at me. I’ve told you before, work will never be as important as you are. I will fix this and be back here with you in no time. And, it's not just any day, it is Christmas. Our first Christmas together. I will not screw this up, I swear.” He pulled the blond back in for a hug, his own arms wrapping around broad shoulders while Steve’s hands rested loosely on his hips, doing the grounding now, hoping he could replicate that same feeling for the blond. “Tell me what you’re thinking, please?”

“I’m not even sure why this is making me upset. I think I just got so used to being with you every day… It's gonna be weird not having you here. And being in the penthouse alone. I might just be tired too.” Steve's rested his head on top of Tony's, breathing him in, tightening his hold around his waist.

“It has been nice spending so much time together. We’ve been spoiled,” Tony trailed his nose up the side of Steve's neck, kissing his jaw when he finally reached it. “Tell you what. I don’t need to leave right away, how about we get you to bed, and I show you just how much I’m going to miss you while I’m away, huh?”

“That might help me feel a bit less sad, yeah.” Steve laughed as Tony started tugging at his shirt. “You really don't need to though.”

“Too tired, old man? It _is_ past your bedtime.” Tony chirped at him, knowing he would get a rise out of the younger man.

“I see we are playing dirty now.” Steve crouched slightly, letting his hands slide down to just above Tony's knees as he pulled him up into his arms. Tony wrapped his arms tightly around Steve's neck, and his legs around his waist. “One of these days, I should demand you carry me to bed like this… old man.” Steve quirked up an eyebrow, trying to contain his smirk.

Tony kissed Steve, lips and tongues involved, quickly turning messy and needy. Steve started moving towards the bedroom, Tony’s lips covering every inch of skin he could reach. When he gently sucked on the blonde's earlobe, Steve turned and pressed Tony up against the closest wall, a low moan escaping his mouth.

“Babe, we are never making it to bed if you keep this up,” Steve mouthed against Tony's neck, letting out a sigh as his boyfriend moved both his hands up to his hair, tugging his head back so he could join their lips again, hungry for him like they hadn’t just had their mouths all over one another’s just a minute ago.

“I’m not opposed to that, one bit,” Tony whispered when they barely broke apart for air, both panting and grinding into one another.

“You are an absolute menace.” Steve barely had time to finish his sentence, let alone start moving again, before they were interrupted.

“My sincerest apologies for interrupting, sir, but Ms. Potts is on the phone and she insists you pick up, regardless of what you’ve instructed when you are indisposed such as now.”

Tony groaned loudly against Steve's shoulder and then banged his head gently against the wall behind him. “Mind carrying me to my phone, darling?” he asked, apologetic.

Steve obliged, carrying Tony – who was wrapped around him tighter than a koala now – and dropping him playfully on the couch as he collapsed on top of him, head back to resting on his chest.

“Yes dear?” Tony answered, his free hand running through blond hair. “Which answer do you want? … Well, Steve and I were making out, and he had me pinned against… That's why I asked!” he rolled his eyes just as Steve looked up at him with embarrassment. “Yes, yes. I can be ready by then, just tell Happy. Bye"

“No more playtime I take it?” Steve asked as he sat back on his heels.

“I’m afraid not. I gotta be out of here in 15. Sorry, hun.” Tony gave him a quick peck before sauntering off to the bedroom, Steve following close behind. “Pepper knows me too well.”

“You’re sure this will only take a couple of days?” Steve asked when Tony stepped out of his walk-in closet carrying his overnight bag and a few pieces of clothes. Steve stood, arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe, watching the brunette who stopped in his tracks, a softness falling on his face as he turned to face him.

“I do not care what happens, I am not spending Christmas without you. It isn’t even an option.” He finished shoving what he needed in his bag, and walked towards Steve, putting a hand over his arms and kissing his cheek sweetly. “Walk me down?”

“Of course.” Steve grabbed Tony's bag, and followed him out of the room. When they reached the elevator, he took Tony’s hand in his and pulled him closer, his turn for a kiss to the brunette’s cheek. “Sorry I’m acting like a petulant child. I’m just really gonna miss you.”

“Me too, sweetheart.”

They rode the elevator down in silence, wrapped in each other's arms. They really had been spoiled the past month, caught up in all the Christmas cheer and hustle and bustle it brought. Stolen kisses and afternoons spent in bed, lazy and languid after making love (or some passionate, can't-keep-our-hands-off-each-other, mind blowing quickies all over the penthouse). This was just a short trip; a reminder of what life would go back to after the holidays.

The elevator chimed to announce their arrival, Steve’s arm staying on Tony's shoulders as they walked out. The brunette's long fingers came up to intertwined with Steve's. Happy was already there, waiting for them, taking the bag Steve was carrying and heading out to the waiting car with a smile and a nod to the blond, not needing to acknowledge they needed a minute more alone.

“Why does it feel like you're leaving for a month?” Steve asked, hands dropping to Tony's waist before Tony pulled him in for one last steamy kiss. “Call me when you get there, I don’t care what time it is.”

“Promise. I’ll see you in a few days,” Tony whispered in Steve's ear just before pressing his lips below it, sending jolts of pleasure down Steve's spine. “I love you!” He called out as he walked backwards toward the door, blowing one last kiss.

“Love you too,” Steve called out. He waited for the car to leave before he headed back for the elevator. He could live with Tony being away a few days.

**Author's Note:**

> I barely know where this came from. I was listening to Christmas Without You, by One Republic, and this popped in my head... feels like it should have stayed there ;)
> 
> Our Christmas craziness started today (complete with our first outdoor, freezing cold skate of the year - in true Canadian fashion!), but I promise, there are 2 more installments of this series before the new year. Hope you all enjoy, and have a fabulous holidays, whatever you celebrate.
> 
> See you back here very soon!! <3


End file.
